Resident Focus: LEF

Tell us a little about yourself, where you are in the world, one fun fact about yourself.

Hey! I’m Ellie - I play songs under LEF (ell ee eff or leff, whatever works) and I’ve had my show on Noods since April last year when I still lived in Bristol after graduating. I’ve since moved to London and that’s where I am now; in a bit of a transitional point right now sleeping in my friends’ spare room in Clapton, and dashing back up to Bristol whenever I get the chance! I’ve just started training to become a CBT therapist, and I’m aiming to start my clinical doctorate afterwards, which isn’t really fun but is a fact.

How are you spending your days at the moment?

With friends, passing the time in living rooms, pubs and clubs. I’ve been trying to catch more live music recently and really wanna start just going to gigs on my own. Best thing I’ve started doing since living here is playing football with a group of girls, can't recommend running around a park shouting and laughing to fight off the dread enough.

Favourite thing to hear in nature?

The wind in a forest.

What album do you think has been unfairly slept on this year?

I have definitely slept on loads of great albums myself, but I’ve rinsed this one on Fasaan Recordings since it came out in February. Inre Kretsen Grupp is, I think, just one guy called Martin Blomberg who is based in Malmo in Sweden - he had an EP out on the same label a couple of years ago which I also love but I think Raoul is killer. Strikes a balance between goth-y post punk and balearic tinged ambience.

Best way you’re finding new music?

The best tips are always from sharing stuff with friends and them sharing stuff in return. I feel like I often get like, imposter syndrome about other people finding better music or something, but it’s just about spending a lot of time doing it, trawling through websites, record shops, whatever - being a big nerd about it, generally.

You’re about to do karaoke with someone famous, who are you doing it with and what are you singing

It’s gotta be Annie Lennox, so I can ruin a rendition of Who’s That Girl.

How do you approach curating your show on Noods?

When I started doing my show I wanted to use it to explore the concept and movement of “fourth world” which was initiated by John Hassell’s music/writing. I had just written about the idea and how it still has a grip on the work of modern electronic and experimental music, especially as I felt like I was hearing elements of it everywhere in my lockdown listening habits. So the show started as an extension of that interest, trying to span from the 60s and 70s when Hassell and Eno were toying with these amalgamations of different styles, into modern music which reflects the escapist world building the progenitors were trying out.

Over time that concept has definitely loosened but I still focus on sourcing tracks which have an element of otherworldliness to them, at least to me. When I hear a song that fits into the vibe I’m going for on the show I chuck it into this massive playlist which I dip into when it comes to putting the show together.

Being on Noods has for real been one of the best things I’ve done, and I’m trying to do more in-depth shows about specific artists or genres now. Would love to dedicate time to more “audio documentary” pieces - I love the Eddie George did on kuduro, for example, that makes you consider the form and context of the genre in a new way.

First song you fell in love with?

I had a massive crush on this boy when I was like fourteen, and he was really into David Bowie. He mentioned once that Modern Love was his favourite song or something like that and I started listening to it religiously, which is how I got to love Bowie, and how I started exploring music that wasn’t just on the radio or stuff my dad played really.

What album do you jump to when all else fails?

John Martyn - Solid Air

If you could have anyone around for dinner, who would it be and what would you cook?

My mum, who cooked me the most wholesome food imaginable every day of my childhood, and I’d make her one of the recipes I’ve tried to copy from her over the years.